Narrative:

Dal tower at love field, dallas, tx, is administering 1 person midshifts. I believe this to be a safety as well as a health issue. During my scheduled 1 person midshift, I needed to take a restroom break. I informed dfw approach that the tower will be unmanned until I returned and I issued a new ATIS informing the upcoming aircraft of the situation. When I returned 20 mins later, dfw approach controller was yelling for me. The dfw controller advised me that numerous aircraft had landed and departed in my absence. He then began to give a lineup of the aircraft waiting to come in. I later became aware that dfw had called the airport operations to check up on me. There are 5 flts of stairs from the tower cabin attendant to the restrooms with a combination locked door entering the cabin attendant. In addition, the tower is a secured area with 3 combination locked doors at the base building. If I had met with an accident and I needed medical attention, it would have been several hours before any help could get to me. With a 2 person midshift the extra person could phone for help and allow them entrance into our security doors with very little effort, and all the while, the safety and service to the aircraft would not be sacrificed. The safety issue with 1 person midshifts to both the aircraft and controller is alarming. I want to go on record that I am against saving a penny and losing a dollar.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR NOT HAPPY WITH 1 PERSON MIDSHIFT COVERAGE.

Narrative: DAL TWR AT LOVE FIELD, DALLAS, TX, IS ADMINISTERING 1 PERSON MIDSHIFTS. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY AS WELL AS A HEALTH ISSUE. DURING MY SCHEDULED 1 PERSON MIDSHIFT, I NEEDED TO TAKE A RESTROOM BREAK. I INFORMED DFW APCH THAT THE TWR WILL BE UNMANNED UNTIL I RETURNED AND I ISSUED A NEW ATIS INFORMING THE UPCOMING ACFT OF THE SIT. WHEN I RETURNED 20 MINS LATER, DFW APCH CTLR WAS YELLING FOR ME. THE DFW CTLR ADVISED ME THAT NUMEROUS ACFT HAD LANDED AND DEPARTED IN MY ABSENCE. HE THEN BEGAN TO GIVE A LINEUP OF THE ACFT WAITING TO COME IN. I LATER BECAME AWARE THAT DFW HAD CALLED THE ARPT OPS TO CHK UP ON ME. THERE ARE 5 FLTS OF STAIRS FROM THE TWR CAB TO THE RESTROOMS WITH A COMBINATION LOCKED DOOR ENTERING THE CAB. IN ADDITION, THE TWR IS A SECURED AREA WITH 3 COMBINATION LOCKED DOORS AT THE BASE BUILDING. IF I HAD MET WITH AN ACCIDENT AND I NEEDED MEDICAL ATTN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERAL HRS BEFORE ANY HELP COULD GET TO ME. WITH A 2 PERSON MIDSHIFT THE EXTRA PERSON COULD PHONE FOR HELP AND ALLOW THEM ENTRANCE INTO OUR SECURITY DOORS WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT, AND ALL THE WHILE, THE SAFETY AND SVC TO THE ACFT WOULD NOT BE SACRIFICED. THE SAFETY ISSUE WITH 1 PERSON MIDSHIFTS TO BOTH THE ACFT AND CTLR IS ALARMING. I WANT TO GO ON RECORD THAT I AM AGAINST SAVING A PENNY AND LOSING A DOLLAR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.